Milwaukee County public high school facilities need help, group says

Members of Common Ground, a community organization of churches, small businesses, nonprofits and neighborhood groups, on Sunday soundly backed a new initiative to upgrade school athletic facilities in Milwaukee County.

The initiative is called the Fair Play Campaign. In a statement backed by more than 450 delegates, the group said it would propose designating a minimum of $150 million from any public financing plan for a new multipurpose arena to replace the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The money would be used to upgrade Milwaukee County public school athletic facilities and recreational spaces.

"Today we are changing the conversation about how our moneys are spent and what our priorities are," said Jennifer O'Hear, a parent of three children, two of whom are enrolled in the Milwaukee Public Schools. "Every boy and every girl should have an opportunity to play sports."

"O'Hear and others noted the athletic facilities at Reagan High School, on Milwaukee's south side: a soccer field on a hill and nearly unusable tennis courts. An estimated 60 girls and 50 boys at Reagan signed up to try out for soccer. As a photo of the field appeared behind her, O'Hear said, "This is what we gave them."

While no specific funding plan has emerged to pay for a new arena, let alone whether a new arena is even needed, Common Ground officials say they want and will demand to be part of the discussion and debate.

Gary Kinzer, a parent with children at Nicolet High School, said his school district's athletic facilities were in poor condition and in need of improvements. He estimated Nicolet alone needed $8 million to $10 million worth of improvements.

"We all deserve fair play," Kinzer said.

Pastor Alexis Twito of Capitol Drive Lutheran Church spoke in favor of the Fair Play initiative. In an interview, she acknowledged the community has many needs.

"But this is also a need," she said. "Athletics is such an important part of education. It provides a positive outlet."

The Milwaukee Bucks, the major tenant at the Bradley Center, have told NBA Commissioner David Stern that the franchise will have a plan that includes a new arena when the team's lease expires on Sept. 30, 2017.

Common Ground's next big step will be to survey the county's athletic facilities. More than 100 volunteers signed up on Sunday to help conduct it.

Timothy Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, has been leading the efforts to date on discussion of a new arena. He has said he plans to form a task force of interested parties to discuss whether a new arena is needed, where it would be built and how it would be paid for. Common Ground has met with Sheehy.

Sheehy and other community leaders have pledged a more public discussion in the months and years ahead.

Common Ground is not the only community group interested in the outcome of an arena discussion. Representatives of many of the region's other arts and cultural institutions have suggested they be included in any public financing option.